


Fresh Coffee Grounds (A Reed900 Story)

by PinkestPeaches



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Peaceful Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:07:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25181473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkestPeaches/pseuds/PinkestPeaches
Summary: It's been almost a year since RK900 joined the DPD, and became partnered with the rude, stuck up, Detective Gavin Reed. But when RK900 discovers something about himself that changes everything, how will him and Gavin handle these changes and will things turn out for the better, or for worse?The Android Marriage Bill is almost ready to go through Congress, someone has been hunting down androids linked to the bill. Connor and Hank Anderson are in the middle of the case when the world learns of their hidden secret. Will they hunt down this masked killer, or will they be hunted down too?
Relationships: Hank Anderson/Connor, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Late for a Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Folks! Just wanted to let you know that this is a little rough, and won't be offended if you notice something. Enjoy!

“Hello there, my name is Tara, I’m an HN400 model. How may I be of assistance?” The customer service android greeted the man who entered the coffee shop, her LED blinking bright blue as it awaited orders.

“I want a human. I don’t trust a plastic prick like you to make my coffee. If I wanted that I would have asked tin can” The man replied, referring to the new RK900 detective model standing beside him. Tara’s LED blinks yellow, then returns to blue. “I have informed my manager that you would like to see her”  
“Good, and make it snappy. I want my morning coffee before I have to do some cardio.” The man grumbled as he turned to the taller android standing beside him. “Why couldn’t Hank deal with this case anyway?”  
“Because, Detective Reed,” The android replied, flat faced and monotone .“He personally asked to have today off to tend to his partner’s needs”  
“What the hell is wrong with Connor?” The detective demanded impatiently.

“RK800 is currently experiencing some technical issues due to his biocopoents, and Hank doesn’t trust Cyberlife to tend to the problems.” the android replied, no change in his demour  
“Hank is getting too old for this job”  
“He is only in his 50’s, Detective”

Gavin turned to RK900, becoming impatient.

“Why does Connor need repairs anyway? Isn’t he the most advanced android ever made?” He asked mockingly  
“No detective, I am the most advanced android ever made. And Connor has taken a beating over the years, he refuses to let Detective Anderson get hurt”  
“What the fuck, are those two married yet?”  
“No detective, the android marriage bill is still being dealt with by congress”  
“Jesus RK, it was a joke. And cut it out with that detective bullshit, just call me Gavin”  
“Okay then, Gavin”

OOO

“Jesus Christ Reed it took you long enough to get here” Captain Fowler was already at the entrance of the DPD waiting for the new android crime partners to arrive.  
“My Apologies Captain, But Detective Reed was insist on having his coffee made by a human”

“For the last time RK, just call me Gavin”

“I’m sorry detective, but it didn’t seem appropriate to address you informally in a formal setting”

“Well are you two going to get some work done or are you just going to stand there fighting like an old married couple?”

The pair went silent

“There’s a case on your desk, if you’re actually going to do some work today”

OOO

“Hey RK, are you a deviant?” Gavin asked out of the blue. RK900 was taken aback by the question. His LED flashes yellow, before returning to blue.  
“I haven’t thought about that detective. I’m aware that Connor became a deviant during the revolution, but myself? I’m not sure. I don’t know if my programming was overwritten when I was activated”  
“So if I asked you to make me a coffee, you would?”  
“Not exactly. My programming is to hunt deviants. Not to cook and clean for a lazy human”  
“Hey, I’m not that lazy”  
“If I offered to carry you to work, you would take that up instantly”  
“You got me there” Gavin yawned as he settled into his seat, staring at the monitor on his desk seemly in a daze”

“Gavin?” RK’s voice managed to break through the eternal blankness in his mind. “When was the last time you slept?” Gavin grumbled at the question, but he had a point. RK didn’t need to scan him to see that the detective hadn’t slept in a while. Each day you could see the bags under his eyes get darker, and the mug in his hand get bigger.  
“What’s it to you tin-can?” There was a bite of anger in his voice. He didn’t like unnecessary questions.  
“I’m your partner, Gavin. I know that you’re not used to someone caring about your wellbeing, but it’s time that you did”  
“What would you even know about caring?! You’re not deviant! You’re just a robot!” Gavin stood up at the speed of light, marching out for a smoke break. RK just stayed at his desk in stunned silence.

OOO

“I swear to God Connor if you don’t stop moving” Hank Anderson was the poor man with the task of repairing an RK800, the one and only model of its kind. “I’m sorry Hank. I guess I was in worse shape than I thought” Connor had gone through a lot of wear and tear during his first year at the DPD, so when his left hand started acting up, Hank had ordered new parts from Cyberlife almost instantly. He had finally removed the arm when the doorbell rang.

“If that’s not the delivery man I’m going to be pissed” Hank grumbles as he opened the door to find not the delivery man, but an RK900 model android on his doorstep, looking rather distressed. “Connor! Your younger big brother is here! He looks his he’s gonna cr..”  
“That's okay Hank, I’ve got it from here” Interrupted Connor, also noticing that RK900 looked particularly upset. “Do you want to come inside?” He asked, lowering his voice.

Connor, using his one arm, led his brother to the couch and sat him down.  
“I’m sorry that I didn’t inform you before arriving” RK900 started “I just didn’t know what to do” Connor stayed quiet, giving his brother a chance to speak. “Gav..I mean detective Reed asked me an odd question today. He asked me if I was a deviant, but I’ve been asking myself that question too. I was made to destroy my own kind. You may have been the deviant hunter, but I’m the deviant killer.” He looks down at his hands, almost cursing his perfect fingernails, never cracked or chipped. “Each day when I walk down the street, I look at an android trying to figure out if it is acting out on free will. I don’t want to, but I just can’t stop myself. I’ve been working on android crimes for a month, and I’m scared Connor.” He’s barely getting his words out at this point, head in his hands praying that tears don’t spill over. “I’m scared that when I have to deal with a deviant rather than just a dead android that I’ll lose control. That I’ll do something I’ll regret. That I might actually hurt someone” RK finally turns to face Connor, face streaked with thirum and LED as red as human blood. Connor was shocked. He had never seen an android like this, even one that was a deviant. Was RK’s AI really that advanced?

“I really don’t know what to say. If your programming is still in place, then you’re showing signs of deviancy, but these emotions are strong. Too strong.” Connor started to search his brother’s features, scanning won’t show what his mental state is like. “Is there a red wall in front of you?” Connor asked  
“Well, yes and no” RK replied. “I do see a red wall, and it’s telling me what to do, but there’s gaps, perfectly cut holes. Almost like someone tried to break it but the wall started to patch itself together.” RK seemed embarrassed when he spoke about the red wall. He didn’t know what it meant, when everyone made him feel like it should. Connor’s eyes instantly lit up. He knew exactly what was going on.

“It’s your AI!” Connor almost shouted. “It’s evolving to your deviancy, adapting to prevent you from breaking out. Jerico tried to override the programming of every android that was activated after the revolution, but it seems that your AI truly is the best that Cyberlife has ever made…” Connor trailed off. He felt bad for his brother, now just realising how hard it is going to be for him to be free. Free from the chains that Cyberlife had put on both of them before they were even made. “RK, you’ve got to break the wall. But I can’t help you. You’ve got to do this on your own”


	2. Tina Cares Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin and RK900 discover that they hate each other a little less than they thought.

“But can’t you just interface with me?! Can’t I make a copy of you in my head?!” RK900 was panicked now. He has never had to do anything alone, hell he had only existed for a month and a half.  
“Because I’m deviant and you’re not, there’s no telling what will happen. I know that the gap in your programming was because Marcus deleted Amanda, I made sure of that.” Connor had told RK of Amanda in the past, just to make sure she really was deleted.  
“Maybe you can make someone to place in your mindscape, but make them human, just to be safe.” Connor suggested, and RK didn’t think that was a bad idea. “It could be someone from work. What about Fowler, or Tina. She’s quite nice to have around”  
“Thanks Connor, but I think I know who I’ll have around”

OOO

There was only one thing that RK could think about on the ride back to the station. Well, two things actually. The wall, and Gavin. RK had no idea how he was going to take down that wall. He knew that it would just grow back, so it’ll be a long fight to make sure that it’s completely destroyed. He was also worried about Gavin. He seemed quite hurt and upset this morning and that kept playing on his mind. Gavin was his partner, and despite the bickering, RK had grown quite fond of the detective.

RK’s thoughts were disrupted by his arrival back at the DPD station. He had decided to take his lunch break early so he could visit Connor. As he walked past the break room he could see Tina drink her coffee, by herself. Had Gavin gone home early?  
“RK!” She called out. “I guess you’re looking for Reed?  
“You read my mind Officer Chen”  
“He went home early. He wasn’t being productive and he didn’t look too good. Fowler sent him home” RK had noticed that Tina had been stirring a now cold coffee. She must be worried too.  
“This may be rude” Rk started, hesitantly “But would you be kind enough to provide me with Detective Reed’s address? I can’t do any work without my partner here, so I may as well check on him” Tina nodded in rely, and handed RK a napkin with Gavin’s address, it seems almost like she was asking RK to check on Gavin  
“Have a good day Officer Chen”  
“You too RK”

OOO

The address on the napkin led RK to an apartment building that looked like it could fall down at any second. Just the hallway outside Gavin’s apartment had bits of missing plaster and carpet. The elevator even held a faint smell of red ice and alcohol. He knocked on the door as he felt his thirum pump beat that little bit faster, but it shot sky high when the door opened.

And there stood Gavin. With his brown curls, freckles, scars and stormy grey eyes, RK couldn’t help but feel thirum shoot towards his cheeks. He tried pushing his thoughts away but to no avail. Gavin looked tired and broken. His black shirt looked just that little bit looser than a month ago, but now it was completely covered in cat fur.  
“The fuck are you doing here, toaster oven?” Gavin did not seem pleased by RK’s presence.  
“I just wanted to see if you were okay” RK looked down as he spoke, almost the sound of a whisper. “Tina looked worried when she told me you left early”

“Ugh, fuck it. Please, just come inside. I don’t want my neighbours hearing us” RK stepped inside, handing Gavin the coffee he brought on the way over. “It’s, uh, just how you like it” RK swore he almost heard Gavin say thinks, but his head is just a windwirl that he didn’t notice. “Well” Gavin demanded “Is there something you wanted to say?”  
“Well, Gavin, I’ve been thinking about what you said. About me not being deviant. And I have reason to believe that my AI has been recovering the errors in my programming. That’s why I’m not deviant but I haven’t become dangerous. There’s holes in my programming from me trying to become deviant, but my AI is stronger, and harder to fight with.” 

Gavin sat quietly for a moment, before saying something that shocked RK.  
“You’ve never called me Gavin before” Neither of them knew what to say to the other. Gavin, again, was the one to break the silence.  
“I’m sorry for giving you a hard time. I really am. I just assumed that you were deviant, just like all the others. I didn’t realise that all this time, you’ve been fighting with your own coding. I’m sorry Nines, I’m so sorry”  
“No, I should be the one applogising. I’m the one who kept pushing, even though you didn’t want to. I thought that learning about you could help me become a better partner, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

The air between the partners had grown thick. Neither one of them knew what to do, or what to say.

“How long do you think it’ll take for you to become deviant?” Gavin asked, a mix of worry and curiosity in his voice.  
“Could be a matter of days, could be a matter or weeks.” RK replied disheartedly “The holes seem bigger, but I haven’t been doing anything” RK was confused by this. The wall coming down, but not by his hands? How? But Gavin seemed to know the answer before he did.  
“Maybe I’m breaking your walls down”


	3. Tina Cares Too Much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A recent change in behavior from Gavin and Nines has left Tina Chen a little worried to say the least.

There was something different with RK and Gavin at work the next morning, the whole of the DPD could feel it. Tina was finally the first one to say something in the break room.  
“What the hell is going on with you two? No fighting. No bickering. You won’t even look at each other! Is there something I don’t know?”  
The partners looked at each other for the first time that day. Last night had changed everything between them, and they didn’t know how to react.  
“Nines, you tell her”  
“No Gavin, it might be best if you did”  
“Gavin?! Nines?! Did you two fuck last night or something last night?!” It was safe to say that Tina was completely lost at this point.  
“Officer Chen, I don’t have those kind of bio components”  
“Reed! 900! My office! NOW!”

OOO

“Why in the world are two of my best detectives not talking to each other?” Fowler demanded. Almost every member of the DPD was outside Fowler’s office, watching the drama unfold like a soap opera.  
“Captain Fowler, sir, the problem is that I informed Detective Reed that I am not a deviant”  
“You’re not a deviant?!” This broke Fowler. You could almost see a blood vessel on his forehead burst.  
“RK900 I am hereby placing you on paid leave until you can sort this out. Reed you’re staying with him at all times” The pair were ready to protest before Fowler stopped them  
“No ifs or buts. RK you are a danger to yourself and other androids. Reed, you’re human. Keep him safe and keep him in line. You are both dismissed”  
The partners stood there shocked, RK more so than Reed.  
“Come on Nines, I’ll call us a cab”

OOO

“Why do you call me Nines?” It had been an hour since the pair arrived back at Gavin’s apartment. Not a word had been shared, except the occasional whisper to Stella, the cat.  
“I just thought it sounded nicer than RK. Not as harsh” Gavin replied, a surprising soft tone to his voice. “I could call you tin-can if you prefer”  
“No, Gavin, Nines is fine. I like it” Nines turned to face Gavin, making sure not to move Stella who had curled up between them.  
“What are we going to do Gavin? What am I going to do?” Nines asked, finally having the courage to show his true colors. Gavin decided to pull one of the most risky moves of his life. He stood up, pulled Nines off the couch, and pulled him into an embrace.  
“I know what it’s like to be broken, to not know what to do, and feeling like there’s no one there, but you’re the first person to show me kindness expecting nothing in return. I’ll stay here until you’re ready for me to leave”

Nothing was said for a while. Nines could feel the light touch of Gavin’s fingers on his hair, Gavin feeling thirum land on his shoulder. Gavin buried his head into the crock of the android’s neck, never wanting to let go. Nines looks down to see his skin retract from his hands, his voice coming out in a whisper.  
“What if I don’t want you to leave?”


	4. Cat Fur and Pollen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor's emotion finally bubble over from recent revelations. Nines finds an unexpected visitor in his Zen Garden.

Nines always like his zen garden. Apparently it is quite similar to Connor’s, but with less damage since Amanda was never there. Gavin had gone to bed, leaving Nines to his own personal haven.

It always seemed so real. The air was fresh with a minor floral smell. The loose gravel crushed underfoot as Nines walked towards the covering on the lake, the heel of his shoes clicking on contact with the cherry wood that made up a small footbridge. Looking up you would expect a bright blue sky, mildly littered with clouds, but that wasn’t the case. The sky was a brilliant blue, but there were grey gaps in the sky, mirroring that of the red wall. There was still something Nines didn’t understand. If he wasn’t a deviant, then where were all these emotions coming from? And why was Gavin Reed, a stuck up prick, being nice to him? They had only been working together for a month, but it felt longer.

Nines suddenly feel something brush by his leg. He looked down to find a familiar ball of tabby fluff. Stella? Why was she in his zen garden? Pushing any question aside, Nines appreciated the company and picked the cat up, purring contentedly as he scratched under her chin.  
“I see that she found you”

OOO

Connor was seated on his couch, thinking about the day’s events. Him and Hank had started a new case but that’s not what was on his mind. 900’s appearance the previous day, as well as him suddenly being sent home this morning, Connor couldn’t help but worry. Sure, the pair were not as close as Connor would’ve liked, but he wanted to give his brother time. He just didn’t know that things were this bad, and he wishes he could do more. Connor was so deep in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice Hank sitting next to him until he piped up

“Hey kid, you okay?” Hank had been watching Connor for the past minute, LED glowing red without falter. He buried his face deeper into his hands, thirum dripping onto the floor.

“He wasn’t a deviant Hank! I...I could’ve helped him, been a better brother. He...he’s been hurting the entire time…” Connor trailed off, his voice completely overtaken by emotion. His cries were silent, but they racked his whole body. He didn’t need to breathe, but that didn’t stop him from shaking, so emotionally distressed that he was on the verge of shutting down.

Blue. Everything was blue. His clothes, his face, his hands. Hank pulled the poor kid into his arms, stroking Connor’s soft brown hair in hopes of helping him calm down. Connor buried his face further into Hank's chest, completely soaking through his DPD jumper. Connor just couldn’t stop crying, and this scared Hank. He had never seen his partner, so...broken. Poor kid felt that he was responsible for all his brother’s pain, even though he didn’t know.

Connor’s tears had finally stopped flowing, but not for the reason that Hank wanted. He went limp Hank’s arms, LED still a brilliant red. 

“Alright kid. Let’s get you cleaned up”

OOO

“What are you doing here?” Nines demanded. Standing in front of him was the Gavin Reed scars and all, in Nines’ zen garden.

“Cause you wanted me here, dumbass.” Gavin (well, Zen Gavin) replied, kneeling down to pet Stella.

“Good to see that you’re still your charming self.” Nines stated, before tilting his head up at the sky. He’s been trying to open the gaps, but to no effect. The perfectly blue sky seemed to be laughing down at him. There was grey, but not enough. Nine’s needed a storm, something that will really take over the sky.

“How long have you been at this? Breaking out, I mean?” Zen Gavin asked.

“Actively? About two days.” Nines replied, starking down at his hands. “But what I don’t understand is how the wall is breaking, even when I’m not trying.”

“What if someone is breaking the wall. Someone close to you.”

“Someone else? The person I’m closest to Gavin, and even then he still hates me”

“I don’t know dude, his use of the word tin-can seems to be less that usual”

“How would you know that?”

“Because I’m in your head Nines, a fantasy that you made. I know everything that you know.”

“Just because Gavin insults me less, doesn’t mean he’s warming up to me.”

“Well, why don’t you find out for yourself?

OOO

Hank reached over to the faucet, stopping the flow of water. Thirum may disappear after an hour, but the smell stuck around, and it was a smell that he was not fond of. He walked back into the living room, picking up the “sleeping” android on his couch. Connor had wound himself so much that he was completely white, his synthetic skin nowhere to be seen. Hank carried him to the bathroom with much delicacy, scared that the smallest bump could set off a chain reaction of some sort.

Hank had removed Connor’s soaked clothes before placing him in the warm water. He grabbed a small cloth from the sink, and began wiping away the blue liquid that covered Connor’s skin. His real skin. It was a stark white color, with various lines and grooves where pieces connected. Hank had never seen Connor like this, seeing the real him. He wrung out the cloth with his hand and gently ran it across the android’s face, making sure it was completely clean before he moved on.

When Hank finished cleaning Connor the bath water had taken on a strong shade of blue, with the white of Connor’s body and red of his LED breaking up all the color. Hank lifted the android out of the bath, taking his time to dry him off and put him into some clean clothes.

“You can have the bed kiddo, I’ll take the couch. Well, after I clean it.” Hank muttered to himself, not expecting the “sleeping” android to hear it. He pulled up the covers and tucked Connor in, making sure that he wouldn’t get cold. Hank sighed to himself and proceeded to grab the cleaning supplies.


	5. Life with Animals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things to start to get steamy as temperatures rise.

Nines could gently hear the kettle hissing away as he read. Ready Player One was one of the few books Gavin owned but the thick layer of dust proved that it hadn’t been touched in the last decade. Even though Nines had access to every book ever made from his HUD, he enjoyed the simple things, like reading at a “normal” pace. His left hand held the book while his right stroked Stella’s fur. Nines might not feel pain but he could experience sensations. He liked the texture of Stella’s fur, soft but not too silky. Her body was covered in orange and blonde spots, with the exception of her white belly that she always demanded to be pet. She even had a small scar on her nose that matched her owner’s, Nines internally laughing at the similarity.

‘Are you..are you reading?” A voice asked from the doorway. A voice that could only belong to one person.

“Yes Det...I mean Gavin. I find it an amusing way to pass the time.” Nines replied, looking up from his book to see the man in question. Gavin was wearing black sweatpants and a grey DPD shirt, fresh coffee in one hand with toast in the other. His soft brown curls almost fall into his eyes, untamed and wild. He had stood in the doorway, a look of pure confusion across his tired features.

“Yeah but don’t you have, like, internet in your brain or something?” Gavin asked as he walked towards the couch, being careful not to spill his scolding coffee as he sat down. Desperate for a caffeine fix but controlled enough not to completely burn his mouth, Gavin drowned the slices of toast in his coffee before taking a bite, hoping that the sopping bread would cool down the coffee enough as to be edible. 

“Yes Gavin, I do have internet access in my HUD, but I rather enjoy a more...simple form of reading.” Nines replied, turning his attention to his new best friend. Stella has started gnawing away at the android’s hand, irritated by the sudden lack of attention. She eventually got bored and made her way down the hallway, no doubt she would be spending the next hour or so terrorising the family of mice in the laundry.

“So, how’s the whole deviancy thing going?” Gavin asked as he finished the last of his coffee soaked breakfast. Nines’ LED spun yellow momentarily before returning to its natural blue state. 

“It’s improving, but I still have a while to go.” The android replied. He placed the book down on the coffee table in front of him, making a mental bookmark of what page he was on.

“Well do you know how long this’ll take?” Gavin pressed, still tired but a sense of impatience was audible in his voice. “I’d never thought I would say this, but I can’t wait to get back to work.” He took a long sip of coffee before leaning his head back into the couch, closing his eyes for a moment, letting out a sigh.

“I don’t know Detective, I don’t know.”

OOO

Connor slowly opened his eyes, gripping on to the blanket that was cocunnoned around him. How did he get into Hank’s bed? Had he been asleep? Who was on the bed with him?

The android rolled over to see Sumo had taken up the other half of the bed, the drool puddle under his head a sign of a happy sleep. Connor carefully lifted the blankets, as not to wake the Saint Bernard next to him. He quietly poddled down the hall into the living room, where Hank was already awake and eating breakfast. Connor noticed the various blankets and pillows on the bed, deducing that the Lieutenant had slept on the couch.

“Mornin’ Con. Sleep well?” Hank asked the android, noticing movement out of the corner of his eye. He was seated at the dining table, eating what looked to be eggs on toast. Hank had tied back his hair, not wanting to get any of the runny yoke in his hair.

“Yes Hank, thank you.” Connor replied, smiling just enough for his dimples to be visible. “I hope it wasn’t too uncomfortable on the couch last night.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s actually quite cosy if you get into the right spot.” Hank interjected. “Do you wanna talk about what happened last night?”

Connor looked at his feet, noticing that Hank had even given his socks while he was out. Last night? What did happen last night? Connor remembers coming home after work, making dinner with Hank, feeding Sumo, and breaking down. Breaking down…

“I shut down last night, didn’t I…” The android asked, unable to bring himself to look at Hank. The human in question sighed, placing down his utensils. “Yeah, ya did. You scared the shit out of me Connor. You had gone completely white, I only knew you hadn’t completely shut down because of the red spinny thing but even then, even then it was still terrifying.”

“I’m sorry Hank, I just wanted to help 900. He’s been in this battle with himself for almost a year. He doesn’t have a name..” Connor trailed off again, voice starting to break. Just thinking about his brother makes him upset, he wanted to do better by him.

“Look Con, there’s not much we can do right now. We can support him but the rest he needs to do on his own.” Hank replied, walking over to comfort the distressed android. Connor sniffles, whipping his face on his sleeve.

“Come on, why don’t we take Sumo to the park.”

OOO

“I swear to God Nines if you don’t feed her”

“Relax Gavin. I’m on my way down now.”

At 12 pm, everyday, Stella goes feral. Gavin suspects that it’s her asking for lunch, but he also has the theory that she likes to piss him off. Either way, food always defuses the situation. He has to approach like a bomb, about to go off at any moment. Gavin layers up, grabs the nearest tin of cat food and cautiously makes his way down the hall, praying that he gets out unscathed. Now that Nines lives in the Reed household the job has fallen to him, since there’s not a chance in hell that a cat could kill a terminator, even a feral one.

“Oh, and when you’re done can you clean up the succulents? She knocked them over again and I don’t want my carpet smelling like dirt for the next month.” Gavin shouts from the kitchen, his voice armed with nothing but pure snark. Nines huffs as he walks back into the room, making a beeline straight for the cheeky detective.

“Are you sure you want to ask me that, Detective?” He purred into Gavin’s ear, sending shivers down that man’s spine. “Because I could have you on your knees, cleaning up that mess in a heartbeat.” The detective in question swallowed at these words. Nines had him trapped against the countertop, unable to escape.

“What the hell are you on about, plastic prick?” Gavin demanded, trying to assert dominance, only to be betrayed by his intimated voice. He silently cursed himself for being too cheeky with the android, who always seems to have the upper hand in these situations. 

“What I’ve learnt, Detective, is that the only way to make you listen is to take away your dominance.” Nines continued, holding Gavin’s wrists against the edge of the countertop. He was so close now that Nines could feed the man’s jagged breaths against the side of his face. He started to grin, knowing that he had once again won.

“If I take away your power, then you have no choice but to listen.” The android purred once again, lips almost touching the detective’s ear. He was right of course, Gavin hated not having control. He knew that Nines would hold the crown until he listened. The sooner he did what he was told, the sooner he would have power back. But this time was different. Nines had never done this before. He would normally throw Gavin’s cheeky comments back at him until he got sick of it. Never has the android gotten this close, trapped him like this. Gavin felt not just out of power, but truly submissive. 

“So, are you going to listen?” Nines asked, using his entire body to push Gavin into the countertop. He didn’t know if this made him angry, or turned on. 

“Y...Yes. I’ll listen” Gavin stammers out. He didn’t like this. He wanted to have his control back, even if he didn’t want to comply.

“Say it Gavin. Say that you’ll clean up the mess” The android demanded, his voice changing from a challenging purr to a low grown. Gavin didn’t know if he wanted to be the shit out of Nines then and there, or take things somewhere else.

Gavin doesn’t say anything, almost in a state of shock. A million thoughts run through his head yet he can’t find anything to say. This lack of response causes Nines to push further, Gavin’s legs fully up against the drawers behind him. He swallowed before taking a shaky breath, finally giving in.

“Okay! Okay, I’ll clean up the mess” Gavin cried out, causing Nines to release his grip on the man and take a step back.

“See? That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” The android remarked, still holding the last thread of dominance from Gavin. He was enjoying this, seeing the hard boiled detective cave in from underneath him.

“Fuck you.” Gavin spat in reply, still trying to catch his breath. His face had completely flushed red, with the expectation of the trademark scar across his nose.

“Oh I would Detective, but I’m afraid my package hasn’t arrived from Cyberlife.” He smirked in response as he left the room. “But please let me know when it does.”

OOO

Hank sat on the bench, secretly glad he had called in sick. Normally Fowler would be pissed that he had used a hangover as an excuse but he had been sober for 5 months thanks to Connor. Fowler knew that he wasn’t hungover, so he let Hank and Connor take the day off. He was glad too, as he got to watch Sumo run all throughout the park, the brunette android laughing and chasing after him.

His life had changed so much after meeting Connor, which seemed ironic despite how much he hated androids when they first met. He was sober, had moved on from Cole’s death and the subsequent divorce, He even turned up to work on time and decently dressed. Hank found it crazy that this one of a kind, burnette, dimpled android managed to break down all the walls he had worked so hard to build, and completely turn his life around. Sumo even listens to commands now. Why would such a lively android stick around with some grumpy old man?

“I think it’s time we went home Hank. Sumo has gotten tired from all this running.” Connor’s voice broke into the Lieutenant's thoughts. He looked at the android in front of him, perfect brown hair whipped around by the wind, face a light tinge of blue, and a smile so wide it could rival the Cheshire Cat. It was a stark contrast from the android Hank saw this morning.

“Sounds like a good idea Con. You wanna walk him this time?” Hank asked the android, handing him the leash. He nodded in reply.

“Hank, may I ask you a personal question?” Connor asked. Hank almost laughed at the formality, old habits die hard.

“Go ahead”

“What were you thinking about?”

“Life. How much it’s changed, how much better things are. I don’t drink anymore for one thing but I think what’s most important to me is that I’m no longer alone.”

“Why aren’t you alone anymore?”

“Cause I’ve got you.”


	6. Lotion and Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hank and Connor locate a suspicious murder as interesting events unfold at the beach.

The DPD bullpen felt empty without the presence of Detective Gavin Reed and his android partner. Their endless bickering over nothings provided some form of entertainment for the various officers at their desks, the domesticity of it all being a much needed break from all the stress their jobs had created. With their voices gone, well it didn’t sit right. Everyone felt it, but no one felt it more than Connor.

The android missed his brother dearly. He tried to hide his worry but his yellow LED gave it away. Connor remembers how hard it was traveling the deviancy path. He questioned his identity, his purpose. He was scared that if he became a deviant that the DPD would see him as useless, broken tech, being scrapped for parts. But the hardest part was having to choose, having to sacrifice a relationship he had worked so hard to maintain.

On one hand was Amanda, the person who had been with him since day one, his mentor. She was the one to guide him through all his missions, the one to teach him the rights and wrongs of the world, the android world. She wasn’t real, but she was to him.

But on the other hand stood Lieutenant Hank Anderson, the human who showed Connor what it was to be alive. Their relationship was rocky at first, Hank was not interested in working with an emotionless machine, a thing that lacked empathy and preservation of life. But slowly over time Connor became less and less like a machine, he listened to Hank not because he was coded to, but because he wanted to. The more that Connor acted on emotion, the more Hank warmed up to him. His relationship with the Lieutenant felt real and genuine, something he worked hard to gain and didn’t want to lose.

When Connor was at Jerico he had to make the choice. Become a deviant and betray Amanda, or stay a machine and lose the one person who truly cared about him. Connor decided to break free of the chains Cyberlife had made, he always accomplished his mission but this time he would decide what that mission would be.

Each android is shaped by their deviancy, Connor definitely felt that. He also felt guilt. He had killed so many androids who just wanted to be free, to be alive. The faces of all those androids haunt him, he sees them in flashback, he sees them as he walks in the streets. His deviancy was a chance to be a kinder, better person. 

Connor was glad that his brother hadn’t been involved in a case with a rouge deviant. RK900 didn’t deserve the trauma that Connor had experienced to become deviant. 

“Hey Con, you okay? Another flashback?” Hank’s voice broke Connor out of his thoughts. He had decided that if Connor’s LED had been red for over 5 min he was going to be checked up on.

“No Hank, I’m fine. I was just thinking about the case.” The android lied effortlessly. It was a pretty believable lie too as the partners had received a pretty gruesome case that morning. An android was found dismembered in her partner’s bed. The victim’s girlfriend Janie had called it in when she came home from work, suspecting this was a target. Not many human/android relationships went public and these two were never afraid to show their love to the outside world, even going so far as to plan an open wedding in 5 days time when the Android Marriage Bill was passed. Both Connor and Hank thought that it was really brave to be so open with a relationship like that, they themselves downhearted it had to end this way.

“You wanna talk about it? It’s a pretty intense case.” Hank asked his partner, also feeling the effects of the gruesome case. He had worked on a lot of cases over the years but this one is up there with the worst of the worst. It reminded him of the deviant Tracis the pair had encountered at the Eden Club when they first started working together. They were in love and just wanted to be happy together, even if others wanted to pull them apart. The Tracis got away, but Janie and Rose didn’t. They were bold enough to show their relationship to the world and suffered the consequences. 

“They were gonna get married, probably the first android/human couple to do so.” Connor whispered as he looked down at his hands. “Janie and Rose had found someone who loved and respected them only for it to be violently ripped away. What if it happened to me? What if it happened to 900? What is...what if it happened to you?” Connor has been an emotion wreck these past few days and the thought of losing Hank? It would break him.

“What about me Con? Why would someone want to target me?” Hank asked, taken aback by the android’s statement. The pair had been close but he was unaware that Connor cared about him to this extent. Hank had learnt more about his partner in the past few days then he did in their first 6 months together.

“You’re the first officer in the DPD to be seen in the open working with an android. If we’re dealing with a serial killer or a gang why wouldn’t they go after the officer with an android?”

“If we are dealing with targeted murders I would be worried about you. This all seems very anit-android, so why kill humans?” Hank placed a hand on his worried partner’s shoulder. “You’re not gonna lose me Con, we’re practically attached at the hip. I’m not going anywhere, okay?”

“Okay.”

OOO

Gavin seriously hated being cooped up in his apartment in summer. His air con was shit, and fans just pushed hot air around. He was currently sprawled out in the kitchen, enjoying the chill of the tiles. The detective mentaly debated emptying the fridge and crawling inside.

“Are you okay Gavin? You seem to have an elevated body temperature and are sweating more than usual.” Nines asked his partner, confused as to how the man would find the kitchen floor comfortable to lie on.

“It’s called summer dipshit.” Gavin replied as he got up off the floor, trying to wipe the cat fur off his shorts. “Some humans don’t like high temperatures, e.g. me. And stop scanning my insides, it’s fucking weird.”

“Duly noted. I would also like to update you on my current deviancy progress. I have 50% left to work through” Nines stated very matter of factly.

“50%?! Shit Nines. That’s great but you’re only halfway there.” Gavin replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “And I’m so fucking sick of being inside this damn apartment! I feel like I’m gonna be fully cooked by the time we’re done.”

“You know Detective, Captain Fowler didn’t explicitly say that we had to stay in the apartment. He said for you to keep an eye on me, but never said where.” The android told his hot and flustered partner. Gavin’s eyes lit up at the idea.

“You saying we can go somewhere?”

“Yes, as long as it doesn’t require someone getting dismembered.” 

“I don’t know Nines, you might end up with sand in your joints.” Gavin replied, smirking up at the android. He liked toying with his partner since jokes didn’t completely go over his head (unlike a certain RK800), and Nines manages to come up with some half decent comebacks. 

“Be careful Gavin, I might just put a spoon in the freezer for later.” Nines continued the banter, not letting the detective win so easily. Gavin mock gasped in response.

“You wouldn’t.” The man dramatically placed a hand on his chest.

“Do you doubt me, Detective?” Nines retaliated, reaching for the draw behind him. He effortlessly pulled out the desired piece of silverware without the need to look, waving the spoon in front of his partner’s face.

“Oh no you don’t” Gavin mutters, grabbing the android’s wrist. Upon contact Nines’ synthetic skin started to retract, revealing the white chassis underneath. It was spreading from where Gavin’s hand was, spreading like an infection. Nines dropped the spoon in panic, staring at his partner as his fingertips turned white. Gavin’s stormy eyes were focused on the blue glow that separated peach from white, following the various lines and grooves along the android’s arm.

“So this is what you really look like…” The detective said quietly, unsure if it was a question or a statement. He kept a hold on Nines’ wrist, seemingly oblivious to what it meant. The android, of course, knew exactly what it meant. He began to panic, LED spinning a violent red. He couldn’t move, he didn’t know what to do. Gavin on the other hand was most calm he had been all day, completely mystified and amazed at the sight in front of him. He didn’t know that an android could do this, unaware that Nines’ actually had no control of what was happening.

Still in a world of panic, Nines decided to sone the one thing he could do. Focus on something. But what? What is there to focus on? He was still staring down at his partner who thankfully wasn’t looking at the android’s blue face. He started counting, he began at one and made his way up. He slowly started to count Gavin’s freckles, noticing the man had more along his cheeks than any other part of his face. And his eyelashes, his eyelashes seemed to curl up in all the right spots. Gavin had a pretty face, at least that’s what Nines thought. He reached 85 before his thoughts were interrupted.

“Nice party trick tin-can, should do it more often.” Gavin said as he let go of the android’s wrist. “I’ll grab us some swimwear, won’t be long.” He yelled back as he left the room. Nines felt relief wash over his body. Gavin didn’t know, and he wanted it to stay that way.

OOO

The android scanned the room, brown eyes trying to take in as many clues as he can. The victim was Rose West, an AP700. Time of death; 6:30 am. Cause of death; the killer removed the victim’s thirum pump before dismemberment. Brutal.

“So, Miss West, can you tell me where you were at 6:30 this morning?” Connor asked Janie, the victim’s partner. Janie was a young woman, no older that 29, olive skin, brown hair and dark, warm eyes. Eyes that were bloodshot from many hours of crying. She took a deep breath in before answering the android’s question.

“I work as a cleaner at the Eden Club.” Janie replied, sniffing into a tissue. “I leave at 5 and get back at around 8. Those are the only hours that the place is closed. The moment I got home I knew something was off. I...I ah” She began to trail off.

“It’s okay Janie, take your time. We need you to hell us as much as you can, but all at your own pace. We don’t need to be anywhere.” Hank told her reassuringly.

“Thanks.” She replied, sniffling into her tissue again. “Rose always has breakfast ready for me when I get home. I tell her she doesn’t have to but she always did it out of the kindness of her heart. But nothing was cooking when I came in. I suspected she might have left sleep mode a little too long, she normally does that on our days off but when I walked into the room I...I” Janie burst into tears, grief still raw in her heart. Hank and Connor waited quietly, knowing that she’ll continue when she’s ready.

“The smell of the thirum is what hit me first.” Janie said, still crying but pushing through to finish her account. She knew that the more she said, the information the DPD had to catch the killer. “The sheets looked clean, but ruffled. I lifted up the sheets and there she was. She was in pieces!”

“Miss West, did you or your partner have any enemies? Is there anyone you know who wanted to hurt you?” Connor asked quietly, not wanting to upset Janie further.

“Of course we had enemies, we were the first android/human couple to go public about our relationship, even if we weren't celebrities. But not anyone we knew personally.”

Hank and Connor looked at each other, knowing what the other is thinking without words. “Thank you for your help Miss West. Please contact us if you have any other information.”  
Connor said as Hank handed her a business card.

“I should be thanking you. I know you’ll catch my Rosie’s killer. I’ve seen the news stories, you two are the best there is.” Janie replied, a slight smile on her face.

“That’s very kind of you Miss West, we’ll update you on what we can.” Connor said as he and the Lieutenant made their way to the car. 

“So Con, find anything of interest?” Hank asked his partner.

“The victim was missing her thirum pump, the third one this month. I think we’re dealing with a serial killer.”

OOO

Nines looked out the car window as the beach came into view. It was a popular destination in the summer, as shown by people and towels littered from one end of the beach to the other. The sand was a soft golden color, perfectly blending into the calm blue water.

“Do you wanna stare at the beach all day or do you want to experience it for yourself?” Gavin asked the android who had obviously zoned out.

“Oh. Sorry.” Nines replied. “I’ll grab the stuff in the back.” 

Gavin got out of the car, leaning on the car as he waited for his partner. His go-to beach outfit was a grey tank, black flip flop and glasses topped off with tropical patterned trunks. Nines had to admit that Gavin knew what looked good on him. He on the other hand had navy trunks and a black top, since that’s the only thing lying around the apartment that fit.

Armed with two towels and a bottle on suntan lotion, the pair found themselves a spot in the sand. The texture of the sand was new and odd for Nines. It was soft, yet grainy. Warm too. It was so unusual that he couldn’t find the words to describe it. But he liked it.

“Hey I know you’re having a moment, but I can’t get this stuff on my back myself.” Gavin was holding a bottle of suntan lotion out to the android. “I really hate getting burnt. Hurts like a bitch.”

“Oh, not a problem.” Nines had grabbed the bottle before he realised that Gavin was seated in front of him, shirtless. He definitely would’ve felt his breath catch in his throat if he had lungs. The detective very much stayed in shape, his back highly toned despite the various scars he had collected. There was a mild scattering of freckles along his shoulders too. Nines liked Gavin’s freckles even if he daren’t say it. The android’s face was blue for sure.  
Nines poured a small amount of lotion into his palm before spreading it across the detective’s back, shuddering from the sudden cold.  
“Sorry Gavin, I didn’t mean for it to be cold”

“It’s okay just, make sure you rub it in.” Gavin could feel his face become hot. This certainly isn’t what he expected to be doing today. 

Nines began to run his hands along his partner’s back, feeling the firmness of each muscle under his fingertips. The android was slowing watching his skin (unwillingly) retract just from touching the man. He could feel Gavin relax under his touch as he massaged in the lotion, unsure if the moan he heard was real or his imagination. Was he pressing too hard? Had he found a spot that was too sensitive. Nines decided to stop before things got anymore awkward. 

“Well, I’m gonna make my way into the water. You coming?” Gavin asked the android. He stood up brushing the sand off his shorts, hoping his sunglasses could hide the fact that he was blushing like crazy. They didn’t.

“Oh no. I’m fine here. The sun is quite warm.”

“Trick question!” the detective yelled as he dragged to Nines to his feet. “If you’re not getting into the water yourself, well I’ll just have to carry you.”

“I really don’t think you’ll be able to carry me Gavin.” Nines replied, fighting the extreme urge to roll his eyes. Sometimes his partner really acted like a child.

“Wanna bet?” Gavin crossed his arms over his chest.

“No Gavin, I really donahhhh.” Before anyone could say rA9 Gavin had halled the android over his shoulder and began trudging down the beach.

“Gavin! What are you doing? People are going to stare.” Nines asked, attempting to hide the panic in his voice.

“Oh let them stare! Your first day at the beach is more important than their opinions.” 

“And just to think Detective, you absolutely detested the thought of being in the same room as me when we met.” The android snickered in response. He tried to find a comfortable position to rest his head because as much as he liked the view, he didn’t want to keep staring at his partner’s ass.

“Oh hush. We both know deep in our hearts that we still hate each other.” Gavin replied with a hearty chuckle. “Now, do you want me to put you down here, or shall I throw you in the water?”

“Does it matter what one I choose?”

“Nope”

Nines felt a rush as he was flung into the cold water. It felt smooth as it brushed over his skin. He had always imagined what water would feel like but it was far from what was real. He would stay underwater forever if he could. He emerged for the water hair plastered to his head and the widest smile on his face.

“That was amazing!” The android exclaimed “Why haven’t I done this before?”

“Because you’ve never had free time before dumbass.” Gavin replied as he walked over to his partner. “It might be helpful if you could see, toaster oven.” He reached up and brushed Nines’ dark hair out of his eyes, his hand lingering by the android’s face for a moment. The pair stared at each other, barely noticing the gentle waves that crashed against their waists. Blue met gray in a way that had never happened before. These eyes were the same that they had always been but there was something new, something different. Nines reached up, pressing Gavin’s hand against his cheek.

“Oh Gavin Reed, what are you doing to me?”


	7. Blue Roses and Chicken Burgers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nines and Gavin are dragged back to work after the android begins to understand his feelings.

“Oh Gavin Reed, what are you doing to me?” Nines whispered, leaning into his partner’s touch. The android closed his eyes, enjoying the first moment of peace in his life. The warmth from the sun above him contrasting the mild chill from the water he stood in. The voices of happy children seemed so far away now. Nines was surrounded by the smell of salt water, suntan lotion, and Gavin. The detective stroked the android’s soft skin with his thumb, resting his right arm on his partner’s waist. 

“The real question is, what are you doing to me?” Gavin responded, speaking in an equally hushed voice.

The pair didn’t know how to react. They had never been this close before, physically and emotionally. They had been working together for a year, and knew the other well enough as not to hate him, but the past few days had been so intimate. They felt like completely different people, showing sides of themselves that no one else had seen.

Nines opened his eyes to scan Gavin’s features. His cool brown hair sat atop his head in soft curls, it looked much nicer without all the products he used to straighten it. The detective’s skin was littered by countless freckles, only visible to the naked eye up close. The scar that ran across his nose had faded over the years, but it seemed to fit his features perfectly. His gray eyes looked to be a pale green upon closer inspection, filled with all the emotions his face couldn’t convey. 

Nines snaked an arm around his partner’s waist, pulling him closer. Gavin yelped in response, the resistance of the water against his legs catching him by surprise.

“No matter how much we insult each other, I can never get you out of my mind.” Nines started, crystal blue eyes burning into the detective’s lips. “Gavin, I have felt more in the past week than I have in my entire life. If I can’t become deviant will that mean that I’ll lose all these wonderful emotions?”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Gavin replied in a soft, yet demanding tone. “You’re a terminator, capable of anything. If you don’t want to lose these feelings, then you won’t. You gotta hold on to the good things in life with all that you can.”

The gap between them started to close, faces and lips inching ever so slowly towards each other. In that moment there was no one else in the world. No more humans, no more androids, no more deviants or killers or work. They were just Nines and Gavin, nothing more and nothing less.

Just as their lips grazed each other, the pair were knocked over by a large wave, causing them to stumble apart. They stared at each other for a moment, both of them blushing profusely. Gavin cleared his throat before breaking the silence.

“Um, I think it’s time we made our way back to the apartment. It’s almost 12.”

OOO

“240”

“Butt out of it”

Hank just wanted to eat his lunch in peace. After all the stress of the current case, and the idea that there might be a serial killer on their hands, all he wanted was to eat the greasiest chicken burger he could find in all of Detroit.

“The number of calories in your meal is dangerously high. I don’t want you having a heart attack on me Lieutenant.” 

“Yeah yeah, whatever. Just don’t let Fowler know we went out for lunch. When he gets the evidence we collected, he will explode. Get pissy at us for slacking.” Hank took a rather large bite of his burger, careful not to spill it’s contents over himself. He was in a rush after all.

“You haven’t submitted the evidence yet?” Connor stood up a little straighter, not very happy about the words that had reached his ears.

“Yes Connor, I didn’t submit the evidence.” The Lieutenant replied, rolling his eyes so hard that they could fall out of his head. “You needed to get outside. After your last episode, I couldn’t manage you having another breakdown.”

The android could only frown in response. Having a breakdown at work was a sure fire recipe for disaster. It took him 7 hours to recover from his last one, and he really didn’t have the time for it to happen again. With 900 out of action, he needed to finish this case, and as soon as possible.

“Hell Con, you’ve been through so much recently. Only God knows his many bullets you’ve taken for me. Just, enjoy a moment of peace of quiet” Hank took yet another hunk out of his lunch before his phone began ferociously ringing. He answered without looking at the number, a decision he would soon regret.

“Hank Anderson you better come and explain this to me before I shove my foot up your” The man in question hung up before he could receive any more verbal beratement from his best friend and boss. It was safe to say the men didn’t have the most conventional working relationship. The Lieutenant turned his attention to the android beside him, who had a distinctive blue tinge creeping up his neck.

“You sent him that evidence, didn’t you.” Hank said with secret amusement. It wasn’t the first time Connor has pulled a stunt like this, but he was still stunned nonetheless. He knew exactly what this meant, and why he did it. The android in question didn’t answer, pretending to be interested in a pigeon that landed near his feet.

“Fine, I’ll let you drive just this once. I’ve still got half my lunch to finish.” The man gruffed in defeat as he put his keys on the table. Connon on the other hand was grinning ear to ear like a child at the funfair.

OOO

Nines looked up at the sky above him, unable to deduce if the gaps had expanded or not. This was really starting to bother him. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t ignore the blearing read font spurting instructions at him. This whole deviancy debacle has made the android feel like he was handcuffed, free to make his own decisions yet restricted at the same time. On top of that his feelings towards Gavin were causing nothing but confusion and turmoil. He didn’t know what these feelings were, he often felt invigorated and downtrodden at the same time. It just didn’t make any sense whatsoever. 

“What do all these flowers mean?” A pleasant voice broke through Nines’ panicked thoughts like a sledgehammer. He looked over to see Gavin, or a simulation of the man, staring at the multi colored rose bush before him.

“These white ones represent a new beginning, my chance to live in a time where androids are more accepted. Yellow is for friendship and care, something I have received in an abundance.” Nines couldn’t help but smile, thinking of Tina and Connor as his fingers lightly brushed the vibrant petals. The roses suddenly appeared one evening after an outing on the town, a treat from solving a case record time.

“Orange roses are a symbol of passion and desire. At first I thought it was because of my want to help people, but now I’m not so sure.” Nines spoke as he pulled off a single petal. Zen Gavin grinned at this comment, leaving the android more clueless than ever.

“And blue. These flowers are new, I only noticed them this morning.” He reached forward, plucking the vibrant rose from its stem. “From what I’ve figured out, the blue rose is a symbol of mystery and lust.” Nines paused for a moment, frowning at the flower in his hands. “And unattainable love. But what they mean to me, I really don’t know” He let go of the rose, allowing it to fall into the dirt below. 

“Come on Nines, you’re smarter than this. Passon, desire, mystery, lust, you know exactly why these are here.” Zen Gavin crossed his arms, waiting for Nines to reply.

“Okay, you’re right. But even then it doesn’t matter. Gavin has more important things in his life, my hopeless pining would just be a distraction.”

“Of course I’m right, I’m in your head toaster oven. I’m just a part of you that says things you won’t admit yourself.”

“What won’t I admit?”

“That you’re in love.”

“That’s nonsense, how could I be in love if I’m not deviant. I don’t even know what love feels like.”

“Then what if that fluttery feeling you get in your chest when he comes close?” Zen Gavin took a single step towards Nines.

“What is the heavy feeling you get when he doesn’t notice you?” Another step.

“Why do you feel like your head is about to short-circuit when he smiles at you?” Nines stared down at his partner’s carbon copy, every freckle, scar and eyelash exactly where it should be. He took a step back, shaking his head.

“You’re not real. You’re just a fantasy, a simulation. What difference does it make?”

“Because I am the way that you see Gavin. Not just his looks or how he speaks, but the parts of his personality you like most. The loving insults, the kindness he tries to mask from the world, the way he touches you like fragile glass. You’re right, I am just a simulation, but a fantasy? Saying that this is nothing but fantasy implies that you’re making up how I look, or how I act, and we both know that is far from the truth.”

OOO

“When were you planning on telling me about a possible serial killer? Hell Hank, just because I’ve known you for 30 years doesn’t mean I can read you mind.” Captain Fowler stared at the monitor in front of him, scrolling through the evidence Connor had collected earlier that day.

“After lunch. It’s an intense case, one that required a meeting with you. If I had handed over the evidence this morning then I would miss lunch. I needed to eat.” Hank said, trying to remain professional despite being caught out.

Fowler sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Hank was right of course, he would be spending the next hour reviewing the case with the Lieutenant, and Hank was impossible to work with when hungry.

“You haven’t left me with many options Hank. You two are the only ones qualified to deal with android related crimes, but this case is bigger than us. Normally I would have to send this case with the higher ups, normal cops just don’t work on serial killer cases. Unfortunately, you’re the highest qualified android crimes unit in the state, and probably in the entire country. It’s obvious that you two can’t close this case on your own, so there’s only one thing I can do” Fowler picked up his phone, dialing in an all too familiar number. “Go review your current evidence, see if there’s any leads. Dismissed.”

The pair made their way to their desks, sharing a moment of silence. Hank began to fidget with a pen when something clicked.

“Hey Con?” The android looked up at the sound of his name. “Who were the other victims?”

“Emily Hayes, a KL900, and Damien Young, a VX500.” Connor replied.

“Did you say Hayes and Young?” Hank asked, suddenly looking up at his partner with wide eyes.

“Correct”

“Were the partners of these androids Lucas Hayes and Alexander Young?” Hank was starting to get worried. If his hunch was right (and it normally was), then the DPD was in some deep shit.

“Correct”

“You pulling my leg?” Hank asked, hoping that this was all just some big elaborate joke.

“I would never joke around in a work environment Hank.”

“Fuck” The Lieutenant muttered under his breath. “Connor, do you know who those men are?”

“Not off the top of my head, no” Connor replied. Hank got up suddenly from his desk and started marching towards Fowler’s office, his partner following suit.

“They’re the lawyers for the Android Marriage Bill”

OOO

Gavin Reed was dozing off on the couch as he heard this phone ring. He picked up, too tired to check if it was a scam number or not. Thankfully it was the latter, he wasn’t in the mood for dumn conversation after his eventful morning.

“Look Gavin, I know I put you on leave for the time being, but I wouldn’t call you if it wasn’t urgent.” The Detective heard his boss’ voice coming from the receiver. “I need you and 900 to come in, now. This android case was larger than anticipated, we need the extra hands.”


	8. What's the Tent For?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor notices his brother's unusual behavior towards Gavin and the Detective starts seeing odd changes within himself.

“I’m not going to draw this out longer than I have to gentlemen. We’ve got a serial killer or killers on our hands, and with a pretty clear motive too. They want the Android Marriage Bill scraped, going after any android that might be connected.” Fowler addresses the four officers standing before him, two of which were barely hiding their shock and confusion.

“The list of victims isn’t large, so far it’s the partners of the lawyers involved, as well Miss West, the first android to publicly date a human.” The Captain pulled up the victim’s profiles on his monitor, showing estimated time of death as well as any biocomponents damaged. It was a long list.

“Wait, so you’re telling me that Young, the Alexander Young, was bagging an android this entire time?” Gavin blurts out, causing his partner to roll his eyes. That man really had no filter.

“His partner was a VX500, an android designed for hospitality services, not as a sexual partner. But yes Gavin, Alexander Young was technically quote unquote, bagging an android.” Nines replied, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I’m sorry, do my ears deceive me or did you actually address Detective Meatsack by his real name?” Connor piped up from the corner, lovingly poking fun at his younger brother. The pair in question went completely silent, faces turning to bright shades of red and blue.

“Well isn’t this just a day of surprises.” Hank commented, doing a terrible job hiding his amusement.

“Moving on. So far the DPD isn’t aware of any androids connected to the bill besides our victims, meaning we’ve hit a dead end.” Fowler cleared his throat, noticing that no one in the room happened to be listening. “There’s no doubt that there’s more names on this hit list, but we don’t know who to warn. I need you four to find some leads, anything that could be of use to us.”

“Emily Hayes and Damien Young were killed just days apart. How did this slip past us?” Nines asked, still scanning the page for any more information.

“All android murders up until that point were that of a personal nature, Hayes and Young were aware of people who didn’t approve of their relationships. We interviewed as many suspects as we could, but the cases fell cold when some of the suspects ran before we could get to them. With no more leads, the only thing we could do was start a manhunt.” Hank stated. “The only lead we got is that the three are connected but besides that? Nothing”

“It’s getting late, you all should all head home. You’re gonna need all the sleep you can get, trust me. You’re all dismissed.”

OOO

Gavin Reed drove his car in complete awkward silence, both him and his passenger unsure of what to say. Nines tried turning up the radio to cut the tension, but it just made things worse. He looked down at his hands, fiddling with the hems of his crisp, white Cyberlife jacket.

“This is worse than we could ever predict.” Gavin finally spoke. “We’ve worked on some pretty gruesome cases before, but nothing like this. Imagine getting killed because your lover wanted you to have freedom. They were all innocent Nines.” The man was gripping his steering wheel with such intensity that caused his knuckles to turn white. He pulled into his parking spot, leaning into the headrest once he had stopped the car.

Gavin turned his head towards his partner, noticing the faint red glow reflecting off the window. A sign of distress. “Are you okay?”

‘Yes Gavin, I’m fine.” Nines replied a little too quickly, staring at the grey concrete wall in front of him.

“How about we get inside, the car is too hot anyway.” Gavin suggested, his partner nodding in agreement. The pair got out of the vehicle, slowly and quietly making their way towards the steps, not in any rush.

“Why did you take me to the beach today?” Nines suddenly asked, causing Gavin to pause. He turned to face the android who stood at eye level on the lower steps.

“You’ve never missed a day of work, always in the same bland building day after day. I felt that you might like a scenery change, since my living room doesn’t have much of a view. You deserved to experience the beach, the salty smells, gritty sand, the flowing water. Things in life you hadn’t done before. I’ve always had happy memories at the beach, so you should too.” Their faces were mere inches apart, the nervous android felt his partner’s warm breath brush his cheek. How many times was this going to happen today?

“I don’t think your neighbours would be very pleased to see us like this on the stairs.”

“Oh screw what my neighbours think. They never liked me anyway.” Gavin draped his arms over Nines’ shoulders, leaning in closer, and closer, and closer, and…

“Meow?” The ginger cat stood at the top of the stairs, tilting her head as she waited for her owner to let her inside. Gavin huffed out as he leaned his head into the crook of his partner’s neck.

“Stella.” They sighed in unison.

OOO

“Did we just watch Gavin Reed and RK900 hold a conversation, without murdering each other?”

“I believe so.”

Connor was in disbelief. His own brother actually getting along with Gavin Reed? It’s impossible. There has to be something wrong, did Gavin hit his head? Did 900 fry a chip? At first he was just teasing, but the reactions have left him utterly clueless.

 _“Hello Brother, how is your evening going?”_ A message popped up in the corner of his vision. He smiled and sent a reply.

**_“Never better. Sumo has glued me to the sofa with no escape.”_ **

_“I must agree with you there. Stella seems very content in my lap, but then again I do double as a heat source.”_

**_“Stella?”_ **

_“Ah, yes. Gavin’s cat.”_

**_“Reed has a cat?”_ **

_“Yes. I was just as surprised as you when we met, but I think she’s warming up to me.”_

**_“Is that a pun?”_ **

_“Possibly. I think I’ve been spending too much time with her owner.”_

**_“I think that’s a firm yes. And on the topic of Stella’s owner, since when were you and Reed on a first name basis?”_ **

_“A couple months now. I’ve always used formality in the workplace, so I haven’t called him by his name that often. I guess I slipped up since we haven’t been at work in a few days.”_

**_“Understandable. If you’re both on a first name basis, what does he call you?”_ **

_“Nines. It’s lovingly been added to his list of nicknames, and I’m guessing it’s a shortened version of 900.”_

**_“My thoughts also. Is it okay if I call you Nines? Or is it a special name for the Detective to use?”_ **

_“You can call me Nines, I highly doubt Gavin will get upset if you do. I think I need a proper name though, for formal situations.”_

**_“Oh, I’ve got a good one. How about Conan?”_ **

_“It’s not a bad one, I’ll keep it in mind. Good night Connor, and send my love to Sumo.”_

**_“I’ll see to it. Sleep well Nines, and don’t forget to kiss your Detective good night. He might get upset.”_ **

_“Ha ha, very funny.”_

Taking the hint that the conversation was over, Connor turned his attention to the snoring Saint Bernard who was leaving a slobbery mess in his lap. Deciding he would clean up in the morning, the android switched into low power mode, greeted with haunting dreams of gunshots and thirium.

OOO

Gavin Reed stared up at his ceiling like it was the most interesting film on the planet. This was his routine most nights, lay awake for a few hours, sometimes with a little tossing and turning, get a couple hours of sleep, have a nightmare or too, then lay awake until he felt like getting up. He was having a particularly hard time falling asleep this evening, and it wasn’t just the summer heat keeping him awake.

Nines kept invading his thoughts. His bright eyes and his perfect lips. His smile, his laugh, his lips. His toned body, his soft skin, his lips. _Damnit Gavin, stop thinking about his lips, you’re better than this_. He knew that scolding himself wouldn’t work, but he sure as hell was gonna try.

He thought back to the beach, he thought of the grin he wore when emerging from the water, he thought of how the android’s hands took away all the world’s problems, he thought of the way Nines’ lips ever so lightly brushed up against his own.

Gavin began to wonder what it would feel like to properly kiss the android, he wondered what it would feel like to have Nines’ lips and hands explore his own body, he wondered what it would feel like to leave love marks all over the android, he wondered what it would feel like to...

 _I need to snap out of this. If I let this train of thought travel any further I will end up in a position I don’t want to be in._ But Gavin had already pitched the tent. His blood cells were celebrating at summer camp and there was nothing he could do about it. He rolled over, groaning into his pillow.

“I am a grown man in my thirties, not some 16 year old.” He huffed, not very pleased with himself. He decided he would sleep now and sort things out in the morning, and that was final. Well, he hoped it was.

OOO

“Miss Stella, I really do enjoy your company, but I am not going to feed you each time you ask.” Nines whispered to the cat, not wanting to wake his current housemate. Stella unhappily accepted her defeat, meowing at the android before burrowing into his warm chest.

“You know what? It’s almost breakfast, so I’ll bend the rules a little.” Stella didn’t understand many human words, but she knew exactly what breakfast meant. She sprinted off to the laundry, waiting for the beautiful pile of meat and biscuits to grace her bowl. Nines lightly chuckled at this response, happily serving the mewling cat a meal worth 5 stars (well, to her at least).

As Nines walked back into the living room, he considered if he should make Gavin breakfast, as a way to say thank you for the beach outing. The android searched the kitchen top to bottom to find any in-date ingredients, even going as far as to check everything twice. All he could find was bread, instant coffee, and a couple eggs. The rest of the good food must’ve been used for dinner the night before.

Despite the lack of options, Nines was determined to prepare a decent meal, even if it was a plain one. It all flowed very seamlessly, it was only coffee with eggs on toast after all. The android had just filled the sink with warm water when he heard footsteps traveling from the hall.

Gavin walked into the kitchen looking and feeling grumpy and tired more than he did the previous morning, so tired in fact that he completely walked past the meal on the countertop, only pausing when he smelt coffee. He took a step back, looking at the plate that was eagerly waiting for him. Eggs, toast and coffee, all of which were still steaming.

“Nines, you do know that I’m old enough to make my own breakfast, right?”

“Yes Gavin, I’m well aware of your age. I made this as a means to thank you. You were right, I should have pleasant memories of the beach, I’m just glad I shared them with you.” The Detective’s ears started to heat up.

“Did you just admit that I was right?” Gavin turned suddenly, standing face to face with his partner.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nines retorted, keeping a perfect poker face.

“Yes you do! Say it again, say that I was right.” Gavin was getting excited and impatient, very much like that of a 5 year old.

“There’s nothing to be said.”

“Yes there is.” Gavin crossed his arms over his chest. Nines paused for a moment, pressing his mouth into a straight line.

“Well if there’s anything that must be said, it is that we have 30 minutes to get to work.”

“You’re such a buzzkill.”

“Of course I am Detective, what were you expecting?” But Gavin didn’t answer. He was too busy inhaling his breakfast to notice, saving the coffee for last.

“I’m gonna shower” Gavin piped up after a few minutes of silence, gulping down his last mouthfuls of coffee.

“Well don’t take too long, we’ve got a long day ahead of us.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t” He yelled as he walked down the hall. Finally, some time to sort out my problem.


	9. We Both Know What We Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotions spill over when Gavin and Hank's relationships with their partners is revealed to the public.

The DPD bullpen was often filled with light chatter. Work friends dropping off a coffee or two, partners sharing new leads, the occasional break room gossip. But something about today seemed different, everyone spoke in energetic yet hushed whispers. The excitement in the room was palpable, the same words rolling off everyone’s tongues. _Foolish, romantic, steamy._ Police officers were not ones to gossip, but the front cover of today’s paper seemed to be the exception.

Detective Gavin Reed stepped into the bullpen, coffee in hand and partner by his side. The room fell silent as everyone stared at the pair in the doorway, sending a wide array of looks. Some were shocked, others disgusted, but most of them were just plain proud.

“Why is everyone acting so weird?” Gavin muttered under his breath. He could practically feel all the pairs of eyes burning into the back of his head as he walked towards his desk. Taking one last sip of coffee, he turned on the monitor. In the long run, this was a terrible idea. But it’s too late to go back now.

The Detective’s eyes were greeted with the front page of the Detroit Daily, a photo filling the entire screen. It featured two men in waist deep water, standing awfully close to each other, lips with enough distance to be considered a kiss. The shorter man was dusted freckles with a very distinctive nose scar, the taller had perfect dark and an LED glowing brilliant blue. Dark hair...and an LED…

‘Fuck!” Gavin screamed out, not caring if all of Detroit could hear him. He wanted to look away, but he just couldn’t stop staring. He was on the cover of the most read newspaper in the city, _kissing_ Nines. That damned day at the beach, if it wasn’t awkward enough to talk about before it sure would be now.

“Gavin, are you okay?” The android trailed off as he caught a glimpse of the screen. He looked and felt like he was about to overheat. Nines didn’t know how to react to the image in front of him. The sun was reflecting off of Gavin’s toned shoulders, brown curls sitting atop his head perfectly. He looked closer and noticed their lips touching, a wave coming in behind. His lips were up against Gavin’s, and now all of Detroit knew.

_Hey Connor, please tell me Capitan Fowler hasn’t gotten to work yet._

**_No, he called in sick. Is everything okay?_ **

_Just come to my desk._

“Hey guys, is everything- oh God!” Tina Chen had managed to reach the pair before Connor, blissfully unaware of things up until this point. “You know it was a joke when I asked if you were sleeping together. What even is this.”

“Well Officer Chen, I believe it is me kissing Gavin on the beach.” Nines still hadn’t looked at his partner, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“You kissed Gavin on the beach?!”

“He kissed Gavin on the beach?” With almost perfect timing, Connor and Hank arrived on the scene, preparing to see both Gavin and Nines dead on the floor. Connor couldn’t stop giggling as his partner was in a state of shock.

“Fucking hell tin-can, the entire department doesn’t need to know.” Gavin hissed between his teeth, finally tearing his eyes away from the picture only for them to land on a pair of icy blue ones. Both sets of eyes were filled with the same emotions. Fear, panic, embarrassment.

“I’m pretty sure all of Detroit knows” Chris Miller piped up, deciding to join the conversation. He tried to keep a straight face, but it was near impossible. This group of six police officers didn’t know what to say or do. Tina stared at Gavin, Connor stared at Nines, Chris stared at Gavin, Hank stared at Nines, Nines stared at Gavin and Gavin stared at Nines. No one had ever seen this level of unbridled emotions and hormones outside of a Senior Prom, and one with a spiked punch at that.

“Would someone just read the article already?” Tina asked, waiting for someone to break out of this odd trance they were all experiencing. Gavin took a deep breath, bracing himself for what he was about to read.

“Cyberlife and the DPD, Progressive or Foolish?” Gavin began, already unsure if he wanted to keep reading. But he’s the talk of the town now, so he should know what they’re talking about, right?

“With the proposal of the Android Marriage Bill just mere days away, the public have been wondering about the government’s stance is in all this. It seems that our police department has answered the question for us.”

“This doesn’t sound good.” Chris whispered under his breath

“Detective Gavin Reed and his partner RK900 were seen on the beach recently, having what seemed to be a very romantic day.” Tina placed a hand on Gavin’s shoulder, noticing the tips of his ears glowing red.

“Romantic?!” Hank suddenly burst out laughing, giving up on his composure altogether. This earned him a jab to the ribs from Connor, looking all but unimpressed.

“They have been spotted not just locking lips in the water, but also getting a little steamy with the sun lotion.” An image appeared on the side of the screen of the pair seated in the sand. It was a still shot of the android rubbing no, _massaging_ the lotion into his partner’s back. Gavin hit his head on his desk as Nines slid down to the floor.

“I...I can’t keep going. Can one of you just finish it, please?” Gavin’s head didn’t leave the desk, afraid that he would be in a permanent state of blush until his death. Nines leaned his head against this partner’s leg, wondering if he should just turn off his auditory sensors.

“RK900’s predecessor Connor has also been seen getting closer to certain police officers.” Tina continued for her friend, starting to sink her teeth into her lower lip

“Connor has been seen doing what now?!” Hank blurted out, the giggling beside him suddenly stopping.

“Lieutenant Hank Anderson is more often than not with the android, sometimes bringing their dog along.” Now it was Hank’s turn to get flustered, unsure on how to respond. The image featured the pair smiling and laughing on a park bench, Sumo happily seated against Connor’s leg.

“The nature of their relationship is all speculation for now, but their domesticity has caused people to wonder if there’s something more behind these outings than friendship.” Tina finished, covering her mouth in complete shock. It was dead silent between the group, the two men and their partners wanting to hide.

“We’re fucked, aren’t we?” Connor asked his brother, who was still seated on the floor.

“It could be worse.” Nines responded. “You could’ve been caught kissing Hank in public.”

“You’re right, that would be worse.”

A younger officer suddenly burst into the bullpen, running towards Gavin’s desk. He placed his hands on his knees for a moment, panting as he caught his breath. “There’s a shit ton of reporters in the Lobby, and I’m guessing they’re here to see you four.”

“Fuck, fuck fuck fuck. Nines, if they managed to get photos on the beach, what’s to say they didn’t see us on the stairs last night, we were clearly visible from the street.” Gavin started to chew on his lip, staring at the bright blue eyes peering up at him.

“Oh God, what else have you done in public?” Chris asked, starting to get genuinely worried for his friends. They were all certainly all in a pickle.

“We might have almost kissed outside the apartment…” Nines answered, still looking up at the concerned green eyes he was all so captivated by.

‘Christ, you two just couldn’t help yourselves.” Hank muttered under his breath, hoping he wasn’t heard. He was.

“Well it’s like you’re any better! You and Connor walk your dog like an old married couple!” Gavin shouted. Everyone was on edge, and it showed. Connor’s synthetic skin started retracting, tears leaking from his eyes. He was about to have a full blown meltdown in the one place he didn’t want.

“Fuck. Hey Connor, Con, look at me.” Hank softly held the android’s face in his hands, both of them going into panic mode. “Listen to me, alright? We’re gonna get through this, all of us okay? This will all blow over and the newspapers will get bored.” He was doing everything he could to stop his partner from falling apart any further, to no avail. Connor fell into Hank’s arms like a dead weight, body going into shut down.

Nines hand never got to his feet this fast in his life. Seeing his brother shut down in front of his, well it terrified him. He didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know what to say, he didn’t know what he was feeling. Emotions were all so new, this one tearing though his body, his chest suddenly feeling tight. Tears began to fall from his eyes, so unsure, upset and confused.

“I need to take him home.” Hank says, voice beginning to waver. He carefully scooped Connor up, holding him close to his chest.

“You can’t.” The young officer replied. “Those reporters are like vultures, they’ve got all exits covered.”

“They’re dedicated, I’ll give them that. But we need to get out of here, we’re just making a scene.” Nines did his best to keep his composure, fingertips slowing turning white. He didn’t want to end up like Connor. Gavin snaked his arms around his partner’s waist, resting his head on android’s collar bone.

“I know a place.” Gavin said, signaling the other two to follow. Gavin took them down a hall, the three of them climbing up to the top flight of stairs. He led them to the rooftop, morning sun shining down upon them. “We can wait it out up here.”

There wasn’t much on the rooftop, just a couple benches Gavin brought up here when he first stared at the DPD. He didn’t like taking a smoke break with other people, so this was his alternative. Hank placed Connor on the bench with great care, hoping that he wouldn’t take too long to reset.

“What have we gotten ourselves into?” Nines asked, burying his face into his hands. He sat down on the concrete, not expecting anyone to answer.

“I don’t know, but it ain’t good.” Hank replied, joining the android on the concrete floor. He sat next to Connor’s head, tentatively watching his LED spin in an endless red cycle. Gavin got sick of being the odd one out, planting himself next to Nines. He rested his head against the android’s shoulder, scolding himself of leaving his cigarettes at home. Nines wrapped an arm around his partner, holding him close like he wouldn’t get another chance.

Hank fished his phone out of his pocket, calling the only person he could in this situation. He put it on speaker phone as it rang, putting it on the ground in the middle of their little group. It rang once, it rang twice, and just as it was about to ring a third time, someone picked up.

“Hank, you know I’m not feeling well today, but I’m not too sick to drive to work and kick your ass because you messed up.” Fowler’s voice came through the speaker, snuffy and unimpressed.

“Open the Detroit Daily.” The Lieutenant sighed out, waiting for his friend to let loose a week’s worth of anger. The tapping of a keyboard was heard, followed but a low gasp. “Read the whole thing before you say anything.” Hank continued.

The next 3 minutes were silent, but it was the longest and most tense 3 minutes of Gavin’s life. He was so panicked and out of it that he found himself climbing into Nines’ lap, nuzzling his face into the android’s collarbone as he wrapped his arms around himself. Nines replied by holding Gavin with one arm, using his free to calmly stroke his hair. The pair had never held each other like this before, let alone around someone else. Hank raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything, probably going through the inner turmoil himself.

“Who’s with you?” Fowler asked

“Myself, Reed and 900.”

“And Connor?”

“He ah, had a panic attack and needed some time to reset.”

“Reset? You meaning to tell me he shut down?”

“Well, yeah. He’s been having problems since the Revolution, not even Markus had this level of after effects. It really hit him hard.”

“Fine, but you three. Your personal lives and work lives are two completely different things, and you were unlucky to have them intermingle in ways you didn’t need. The truth is that you need to be careful when you’re seen in public, but you had no knowledge or control of what others were doing. Long story short, this isn’t entirely your fault, but I’m going to take you off the case.” The trio was stunned. They knew this was coming, but they didn’t exactly like it. Hank ran his hand through his hair as Gavin buried his face further into Nines.

“Unfortunately, this exposure to the media puts you at risk for this case, since we know these murders are directly linked to the Android Marriage Bill. It wouldn’t be too far of a stretch to suggest that Connor or 900 could be targeted next.” A chill went down Gavin’s back. Nines could be next, and he had found himself getting quite attached to the android. He liked having him around and sharing witty remarks. He was warm too, which was a big plus. But he wasn’t in love with Nines, that would be crazy.

“I want all of you to go home as soon as you can, and make sure everything is secure. I’m not sending a protection order, it will draw too much order. I will send an officer to check up on you daily, collect anything that you need. The truth is, these are highly gruesome and violent murders, and you’re some of my best detectives.”

OOO

It took another three hours for the onslaught of reporters to leave, Tina popped up at one point with lunch and updates. Apparently a few of the media personnel had managed to get inside the building, attempting to find as much information as possible. Connor had managed to recover from his episode, profusely apologizing to his partner for what happened. He sat on the ground leaning against Hank, cracking jokes to lighten the mood. Turns out android puns are starting to gain popularity. Gavin had also fallen asleep at some point during the morning, the sleep deprivation from the night before finally catching up with him. He even slept lunch, but he hasn't slept for this long in many years, nightmares and night terrors racking his brain. He remained in Nines’ lap, but both of them seemed fairly content with it.

It was 12:30 when the group were given the all clear to leave. Connor and Hank managed to leave with ease, but it was Nines who was having trouble. Noticing how calm Gavin was, he decided to let the man sleep.

 **Mission One: Keys Location.** Nines needed to find Gavin’s keys, and there were two options. One of his many pockets, or his desk. His outfit had roughly 8 pockets, including the jackets that lay on the ground at his feet. Nines managed a quick scan, discovering that both the jackets were empty. The next option was his jeans, the pocket in question not too hard to locate. Back right. All Nines had to do was fish out the keys without waking Gavin, or accidentally groping him. Easy right? Wrong. His fingers were nimble enough, but he started to worry the further down he had to reach. The roundness of Gavin’s ass didn’t help either. After slowly inching down to the bottom of the pocked, he felt the coolness of the keyring make contact with his fingers. **MISSION COMPLETE.**

 **Mission Two: Getting Off the Ground.** Grasping the keyring between his teeth, Nines now needed to figure out a method of standing up that didn’t startle Gavin or have him get dropped. Nines held one arm under Gavin’s knees, the other just under his shoulder blades. Now for the hard part. The android carefully shuffled his feet into a position where he could get up. It was a little awkward, but his joints were a bit more flexible than the average human’s. He pushed off his legs, swaying a little when he reached full height. He looked down to find Gavin sound asleep, head and arms resting against his chest. **MISSION COMPLETE.**

 **Mission Three: Getting Home.** Walking to the car was easy enough if you ignored the odd looks from some of the officers, the hard part was getting Gavin into the car. Figuring out a way to open the door without having to put the man down, Nines got down on one knee, moving Gavin’s knees from his arm to his leg. That seemed to work okay. Getting the door open and Gavin inside was fairly easy, Nines being careful to ensure his partner’s seatbelt was clicked in properly. Satisfied with his work, Nines places the key into the ignition. The car jolted to life with a warm hum, a jolt that was a little too strong. Gavin sat up, rubbing his eyes. **MISSION FAILED.**

“How did I get in the car?” Gavin grumbled, voice heavy with sleep. He turned his head to find Nines, who had already gotten the car out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

“Where we going?” Gavin asked the android, a little confused in his newly awoken state.

“We’re going home, Gavin.” Nines replied, careful not to take his eyes off the road. Trying to get into the freeway wasn’t an easy feat, especially during the lunch hour rush. Gavin grabbed his partner’s hand, holding it the whole ride home. Nines was bright blue for the rest of the trip.

Even when he parked the car, Nines found that Gavin was still experiencing his weird sleep delirium.

“Carry me?” The man asked, gazing into the android’s icy blue eyes for what felt like the millionth time that day. “I’m tired and you’re warm.”

“Gavin, it’s summer. Everything is warm.”

“Don’t care.”

Nines gave in, picking Gavin up and carrying him to the apartment the same way he got them to the car. He put the man down to open the door, who just grumbled incorrentenly down to his room.

The android went into the laundry, leaving a fresh meal for Stella when she came back. Nines couldn’t tell what she was saying, but he liked to think that the cat appreciated the gesture.

“Nines. Nines. Come here. Nines.” Gavin’s voice floated out the door across the hall, demanding the android see him.

“Yes Gavin, what do you need?” Nines asked as he stood in the doorway, arms crossed on his chest. The man didn’t reply, but rather pat the spot on the bed next to him.

“What was that?” Nines was even more confused by his partner’s behavior. Was this because he got _too much_ sleep?

“Com’ere” Gavin demanded, patting in the bed again. Nines rolled his eyes, sitting on the side of the bed.

“Happy?”

“No”

“Why not?”

“I want cuddles.”

“And what will happen if I don’t want to cuddle.”

“Then I’ll leave and take Stella with me.”

Nines eventually gave into the Detective’s odd demands, laying in the bed and holding him close. Gavin’s heart rate and breathing seemed to slow from this action, happily snuggling in as close as he could.

“Happy now?”

“Very” Gavin didn’t say much more, slowly traveling into dreamland as Nines stroked his cheek.


	10. Make Me A Sinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The androids start to figure out what love is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me a while to get this out, writer's block is a real bitch. Content Warning (if you're into that), things are about to get steamier than ever...

Connor sat on the sofa, processing the day’s events. After all the information that came out that morning, he began to call his emotions into question. It’s true that he really does care about Hank, but he can’t figure out within himself what emotions were connected. Was it familial, platonic, or even romantic?

He knew what kind of love he felt for Nines, a kind that was powerful and unconditional. The way you love your family is shown through small acts of kindness, things that warm your heart that little bit more. Despite not being as advanced as his brother, Connor was always open to help in any way possible, and that made him happy.

He knew what kind of love he felt for his friends, a kind that was joyous and playful. Connor didn’t start growing closer to Chris and Tina until after the Revolution, but he was glad that he did. Sometimes they would walk in the park, they also saw movies together and partook in an activity Tina called “Bar Hopping”. Nevertheless he always seemed to have fun with them, maybe going as far as to consider Gavin a friend. Maybe.

He didn’t know what kind of love he felt for Hank, but he knew it was strong and all consuming. Spending time together is what brought the most joy to the android’s heart, learning to enjoy the simpler things in life. He learnt where all of Sumo’s favorite places were, and would take Hank with them at least once a week. He loved the way warmth radiated off of Hank whenever he smiled or laughed at one of Connor’s jokes. And most of all he enjoyed sitting with the man in the colder months, all bundled up in blankets while watching T.V.

He didn’t know what this feeling was, but he liked it.

Connor felt the sofa dip beside him, Hank getting cosy with a cold cola in hand.

“Wanna watch some crap T.V?”

OOO

Nines stared at the face in front of his, a constellation of freckles broken up by the milky way in the center of it all. Gavin looked calm as he slept, all the years of stress and anxiety washed away by the peace and warmth dreams provided.

Nines lightly brushed his fingers across Gavin’s cheek, the action causing him to stir. His eyes fluttered open, bathing in the relaxation of Nines’ arms.

“Good morning.” Gavin mumbled, burying his nose into the crook of his partner’s neck.

“Gavin, it’s 5:30.” Nines rubbed small circles into the man’s back who breathed deeply in response.

“Hmmm. Five more minutes.” Gavin grumbled lowly, trying to commit Nines’ scent to memory.

“You can stay in bed as long as you want.” The android whispered, his partner humming in response.

“I was so glad to be back at work, I hate being in the same place for so long.” Gavin moved his head from Nines’ neck, looking up into the android’s eyes. “I became a cop to help people, but I feel so helpless when bad shit keeps happening and I’m not allowed to do anything.”

“But you are helping, you’re keeping me safe.” Nines gently pushed a stray curl from Gavin’s face.

“Yeah, but you’re a terminator. You don’t need me to keep you safe, you’re fearless.”

“I might be dauntless, but there’s only one of me. I’m brave in the same ways that you are.”

Gavin didn’t know what to say. He allowed a silence to sit between them, but it wasn’t cold or awkward like he expected. It was warm and oddly inviting.

“Are androids normally this warm?” Gavin asked, still gazing into the icy blue eyes that he learned to love, despite seeming cold.

“No. When androids get too cold we start to freeze. In order to prevent temperature from affecting my missions, I was installed with an internal heating system.”

“That’s the best thing Eli has come up with since he started making you fuckers.”

“I wasn’t designed by Elijah Kamski, but I understand what you mean.”

“If Eli didn’t make you, then who did?” Gavin was starting to gain genuine interest in the conversation.

“Elijah Kamski created a virtual AI system designed after his former mentor. She was only installed into one android’s coding. Connor’s coding. He’s a prototype and needed a controlled observation environment. I think a particular line of coding is responsible for his PTSD. I don’t know it for certain but I do know that he went through all my coding and made alterations before I was activated. He removed the AI together but kept in the environment. It gives me something to do when I go into standby mode.”

“Amanda.” Gavin whispered under his breath.

“Yes, I believe that was her name. Connor informed me about her to ensure she was efficiently purged from my code.”

“Why do you use his full name in conversation?” Gavin asked, steering almost completely off topic.

“Why do you use his name so casually?” Nines retorted.

“He’s my cousin.” Gavin replied quietly. “I don’t like to tell people about it. My family holds high enough expectations from me, I just don’t need that pressure from anyone else.”

“That’s okay. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Nines moved his hand to rest on his partner’s hip, slowly tracing his fingertips over the soft skin that peaked out from under the man’s shirt.

“Okay, thanks.”

“It’s fine. All in your own time.” Nines smiled softly at the man in his arms.

“Can I...can I kiss you?” Gavin asked quietly, his face glowing with a soft pink undertone.

Nines’ eyes grew wide. That wasn’t exactly what he expected to hear. After all the trouble their growing relationship had caused he fully expected Gavin to grow cold, to step as far away as possible without severing their work partnership. But here he was, proving the android wrong.

Nines answered Gavin’s question by softly planting his lips against the detective’s. He started pulling away, not expecting much more from the man, only to be pulled back in by a force fueled by desire and need. Both of them wanted to savor the moment, no matter how short it may be.

Gavin was determined to let all his emotions out in a single action, kissing Nines like he would never get the chance to again. It was rough, lips controlled by what could only be described as passion, the kind of passion that creates heat in your stomach and butterflies in your chest. Two pairs of lips moved in sync with each other as hands began to roam on their own accord. Pectorals, biceps, abs, Nines’ body felt like a forbidden fruit to Gavin, only wanting to take a bite and give in to the Devil’s promises of knowledge and desire, to live a life of luxury and sin.

He wanted to do it, he wanted to take the apple from it’s branch and sink his teeth into it. Gavin was ready to take a big juicy bite and never look back. He planted his lips on Nine’s jaw, peppering kisses down to the android’s collar bone where he nipped and sucked to his heart’s content. He gazed at the beautiful blue circle for a moment before reattaching their lips, tongue gaining access almost instantly.

Nines thought he was about to short circuit. So many new and beautiful emotions flooded his body, leaving him speechless for the first time in his short life. Gavin’s kisses were rough and determined, a perfect match to her personality. But even then Nines could note the soft and caring undertones that lined the kiss, it wasn’t rushed or bitey. It was, well, perfect.

Nines started to fight for dominance as he planted Gavin against the bed. A game the pair knew so well had suddenly gained new rules, rules that made the game even tougher to beat. Nines had the upper hand (as he always did) trapping Gavin’s wrists with his own, a knee ever so slightly prying the man’s legs apart.

Gavin freed his hands from the android’s grasp, dragging his fingertips along the synthetic skin of Nines’ abdomen, trailing the muscles of his back before driving his fingers through the android’s hair, each of them moaning into the other’s mouth.

“Fucking hell, seriously?!” A woman’s voice could be heard from the doorway, a look of disappointment and amusement written across her features. The pair scrambled off of each other, trying to look decent despite already being caught out.

“What the fuck, Tina! How the fuck did you even get in?” Gavin mustered out between pants, trying to make his appearance look less like he was just about to dive into his own personal sinful fantasy.

“Your dumbass told me where the spare key was.” Tina crossed her arms across her body as she leaned against the door frame. Just wait till Chris gets a load of this.

“Well that doesn’t mean you can just invite yourself in.” Gavin tried to smooth out his deshelived shirt to no avail.

“It does if you’re not answering your door.” Tina left down the hall, a subtle hint that Gavin needed to get the fuck into the living room.

“Gavin, she does have a poi-” “Say another word and I won’t kiss you again.” Gavin cut off Nines’ comment.

“Is that your punishment or mine, Detective?” Nines purred into his partner’s ear, frustrating him even further.

“Are you two coming out here or what?!”

“Fuck. Fucking calm your tits.” Gavin finally made his way into the living room after what felt like a million years

“Bitch, I’ll calm my tits when you calm your dick.”

“Excuse me, he doesn’t need to get involved in this!”

“He?!”

“Officer Chen, I believe you came to update us on the case.” Nines interjected, not wanting to see where the previous conversation was about to go.

“Yes. Glad to know _someone_ thinks with their head and not their dick.” Tina pointed her words at Gavin as she handed a DPD issued tablet to Nines.

“At least I have a dick.”

“I swear to _God_ Gavin I am sooooo ready to attach my strap on to your fucking computer.”

Nines tuned out the conversation next to him as he swiped through the various evidence on the tablet. Bella Matwell, YK500. She was torn apart just like the other victims, but she wasn’t a human’s partner. “What’s the connection with Bella? She’s got the same MO but her relationship connections don’t match the other victims.”

“That’s just the thing, she does have the relationship connection. Her maternal figure, Daisy Matwell, is connected to Jericho and the Android Marriage Bill. She’s the only reporter trusted by Markus.” Tina pointed out Bella’s registration information. She was owned by a Gerard and Daisy Matwell.

“Matwell. I feel like I’ve heard the name somewhere else.” Gavin piped up.

“Oh, you have. Daisy is the one who wrote that article.” Tina looked down as she scratched the back of her hand.

“What article?” Gavin asked. But Nines had beat him to the punch.

“The article about us.”


End file.
